Anti-tilt means for coin testing and selecting apparatus



Jan. 17, 1967 c. E. DUNCAN 3,298,492

ANTI-TILT MEANS FOR COIN TESTING AND SELECTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1966 INVENTOR CLIFFORD E. DUNCAN M Vow/Z6 ATTORNEYS United States Patent ANTI-TILT MEANS FOR COIN TESTING AND SELECTING APPARATUS Clifford E. Duncan, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Coin Acceptors Inc.,, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Jan. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 518,940" 3 Claims. (Cl. 19499) This invention relates to improvements in coin testing and selecting apparatus of the type described-in US. Patent No. 2,292,628. Apparatus of the kind herein disclosed is used in vending machines" for separating genuine coins of different denominations, and for rejecting inappropriate and spurious coins and slugs. More particularlyfthe present invention relates to improved means for preventing abnormal operation of the coin selector apparatus. when the latter is angularly displaced from a normal ,vertical operating position, such as may cause the apparatus to accept normally unacceptable coins or to respond to acceptable coins as though they were coins of relatively higher value.

In devices of the character concerned, a pivoted carrier or cradle conveys a deposited coin from an entrance passageway to a location where the coin is dropped from the cradle and onto the upper end of an inclined runway. The coin then rolls down the runway, acquiring velocity the magnitude of which is determined in large measure by the slope, of the runway. The terminal velocity of the coin is an important factor in subsequent selector functions and, in the absence of suitable protective means, normal operation of the device may be disrupted and the apparatus cheated by tilting the machine.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide simple, economical, and extremely efficient means for preventing the defrauding of vending machines by tilting the sameout of its normal operating position. More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved means for locking the cradle member of a coin selectingdevice when the device is tilted.

The foregoing objects are achieved in an improved locking device of the characterdescribed which is extremely sensitive to small deviations from the normal in the angular position of the coin-selector, and which will effect the locking of the cradle member when the machine is tilted beyond a predetermined maximum, even in small degree.

Another important object of the invention is achieved in provisions that effect an interlocking relationship between the cradle and locking lever that operates to secure the cradle, even when the apparatus is subjected to shaking or jarring that otherwise might release the cradle.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully hereinafter explained, in connection with references to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. lis an elevational view of a fragmentary portion of a coin testing device embodying the features of this invention and showing the mechanism hereof as disposed in normal or untilted position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the position of the cradle when it releases the coin onto the inclined runway;

FIG. 3 illustrates the mechanism of FIG. 1, but disposed in a tilted or canted position, wherein normal functioning of the cradle member is prevented;

FIG. 4, an elevational view similar to FIG. 3, further illustrates the functioning of the cradle latch lever when the mechanism is in a tilted condition, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the cradle and latch lever assembly per se.

' pivot in a direction toward the runway 18.

"ice

Briefly described, the concepts of the invention reside in a cradle means, including anti-tilt latch device which is effective to prevent normalrocking movement of the cradle when the mechanism is tilted out of its normal, intended operating position.

Referring to the drawingsjillustration is made of a portion of the coin 'testingdevice, including a portion of the rriain frame 10 on which the cradle 12 is mounted for rocking movement about a pivot 14 from its initial position shown" in FIGS. 1 and 3, to its final position shown in FIG. 2. When in' the latter position the-cradle is adapted to release acoin, such as 16 therein, onto the upper end of a downWardlyinclined runway or rail 18. Thereon the coin rolls downwardly through a magnetic field created by a magnet (not shown) and then off of the runway with trajectory determined'in a large measure by the slope of the rail. The path of coin immediately following its departure from'the rail will determine whether this coin will, at that point, be'accepted or rejected.

The frame 10 is provided at its upper edge with a coin entrance chute 20 into which the coins of various denominations may be introduced for travel gravitationally downwardly to be intercepted by the cradle 12. Cradle 12 is provided with a pair of arms 22 and '24 extending outwardly from the cradle body and into the path of coins falling from entrance chute 20. The cradle arms 22 and 24 are spaced from each other by an amount slightly less than the diameter of the particular coin which the cradle is intended to intercept and transfer to the ramp or rail 18. As will .be noted, cradle 12 is mounted on a side of frame 10 (the frontal side), opposite to that of the coin passageway. Cradle arms '22 and 24 project through arcuate openings 26 and 28 respectively in the frame 10 and their end portions are normally positioned to catch the descending coin between them.

Cradle 12 has a bearing sleeve 29 for the pivot pin 14, which bearing is suitably located on the cradle body so that the center of gravity of the cradle and coin combined will be offset from the pivot in the direction toward the runway. Thus theweight of the coin, resting between the cradle arms, vvill' cause the cradle to rock about its Rocking continues under the weight of the coin until the latter falls or spills out of the cradle arms and onto the runway, a position of the cradle shown in FIG. 2. The cradle is provided with a counterbalance weight 30 arranged so as to oppose rocking of the cradle under the weight of the coin, and to return the cradle to its normal position (FIG. 1) after the coin has been released from the cradle.

An important concept of the present invention resides in i mprovedimeans for locking the cradle against rocking movement as aforesaid, which locking means under normal conditions are inoperative to interfere with cradle movement, but which are highly sensitive to any canting of the frame 10 in a direction to increase the slope of ramp 18. When the frame is tilted, even in slight degree, the locking means to be hereinafter described res-trains rocking movement of cradle 12 and prevents deposit of the coin under test onto the ramp 18.

The latching means of the present invention is constituted by a lever arm 32 having a bearing sleeve 33 by which it is pivotally suspended and mounted on the front side of the frame 10 by pivot pin 3-4. At its lower or free end the lever arm 32 carries a counterweight 36 which normally holds a second or latching arm 38 out of the path of movement of cradle arm 24. Latch arm 38 projects upwardly from the pivotal :axis of the latch lever and is provided with bevelled upper end surface thatforms a pointed end 40. The pointed extremity 40 is laterally offset from a vertical line through the pivotal axis 34, to-

ward the cradle arm 24. A sharp edge 42 slopes down wardly from pointed end 40 in a direction away from cradle arm 24 and acts as a camming surface in coaction with cradle arm 24, as will hereinafter be explained.

,The latch arm 38 is Shaped and arranged as above described so thatits pointed end will gravitationally be vertical position and into positive latching engagement with the cradle, by the camming action of the cradlegarm on thelatch lever, is best illustrated in'FIG. 4.. The described construction of the latching member and cradle and the interlocking relationship between these members 'thus created tends to defy eifo'rts to, release the cradle from its latch lever by shaking or jarring the equipment in addition to tilting the same, a method sometimes used by persons seeking to cheat the machine.

Having described my invention, what claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coin-separating device:

.(a) framej'means defining an entrance passageway through which coins fall edgewise by gravitational force,

(b)' a laterally extending and downwardly inclined runway over which coinsjof a predetermined denominational dimension are adapted to be displaced from the entrance passageway,

(c) cradle'meinspivotally mounted on the frame for rocking movement between normal and operated positions, the cradle means having'a pair of arms exinto an interlocking relationship. The operationabove described, with the latch arm drawn out of its normally 'tending'into the entrance passageway and spaced one 13 from the other by' an amount slightly less than the diameter'of coins adapted to be displacedf'rom'the entrance passageway to the runway, (d) a latching lever pivotally mounted on the'frai'ne I means for rocking movement between latching. and h;

unlatching position, the lever including an arm movable into and out of the path of one of the cradle arms,

(e) a counterweight carried by the lever tending to hold the lever a-nm out of the path of the said one cradle arm when the frame means is disposed in a predetermined upright operating position for the device, and

(f) the lever. arm engaging the said one cradle arm to block the cradle means against rocking movement from normal to operated position when the frame means is tilted in a direction to increase the inclination of the runway.

2. A coin-separating device as defined in claim 1, in

which:

(g) the cradle means and latching lever are mounted in side-by-side relation, 7 (h) the cradle means tends to turn in one direction from the normal to the operated position under the weight of the coin received by the cradle arms, and

(i) the latching lever tends to turn in the other direc- ,tion relative to the frame means when the frame means. is tilted in the direction to increase the inclination of the runway, whereby to move the lever arm into the path of the cooperating cradle arm to block movement of the cradle means.

3. A coin-separating device as defined in claim 2, in

which: I

, (j) the lever arm has a camming surface sloping downwardly from the horizontal and away from the cooperating cradle arm, and

(k) the camming surface engages the cooperating cradle arm when the frame means is tilted, and tends to turn the lever in the said other direction and out of the normal gravitationally balanced position-of the lever and further into the path of the cooperating cradle arm for positive latching engagement with the cradle means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 394,904 12/1888 Bailey 194-49 5 1,269,502 6/1918 Perrin -Q l94-48 3,145,821 8/1964 Simpson 194-102 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY- H.,.TOLLBERG, Examiner. 

1. IN A COIN-SEPARATING DEVICE: (A) FRAME MEANS DEFINING AN ENTRANE PASSAGEWAY THROUGH WHICH COINS FALLS EDGEWISE BY GRAVITIONAL FORCE, (B) A LATERALLY EXTENDING AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED RUNWAY OVER WHICH COINS OF A PREDETERMINED DENOMINATIONAL DIMENSION ARE ADAPTED TO BE DISPLACED FROM THE ENTRANCE PASSAGEWAY, (C) CRADLE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME FOR ROCKING MOVEMENT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME FOR SITIONS, THE CRADLE MEANS HAVING A PAIR OF ARMS EXTENDING INTO THE ENTRANCE PASSAGEWAY AND SPACED ONE FROM THE OTHER BY AN AMOUNT SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF COINS ADAPTED TO BE DISPLACED FORM THE ENTRANCE PASSAGEWAY TO THE RUNWAY, (D) A LATCHING LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME MEANS FOR LOCKING MOVEMENT BETWEEN LATCHING AND UNLATCHING POSITION, THE LEVER INCLUDING AN ARM MOVEABLE INTO AND OUT OF THE PATH OF ONE OF THE CRADLE ARMS, (E) A COUNTERWEIGHT CARRIED BY THE LEVER TENDING TO HOLD THE LEVER ARM OUT OFF THE PATH OF THE SAID ONE CRADLE ARM WHEN THE FRAME MEANS IS DISPOSED IN A PREDETERMINED UPRIGHT OPERATING POSITION FOR THE DEVICE, AND (F) THE LEVER ARM ENGAGING THE SAID ONE CRADLE ARM TO BLOCK THE CRADLE MEANS AGAINST ROCKING MOVEMENT FROM NORMAL TO OPERATED POSITION WHEN THE FRAME MEANS IS TILTED IN A DIRECTION TO INCREASE THE INCLINATION OF THE RUNWAY. 